Lakers' LeBron James Says His 'Time Is Very Limited' Before End of Iconic NBA Career

LeBron James is once again talking about his NBA mortality after posting a triple-double in the Los Angeles Lakers' 134-132 overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

Speaking to reporters following the game (starts at 1:47 mark), James acknowledged his "time is very limited" when asked about being on the verge of turning 40 and if fans still appreciate what he's still capable of doing on the court.

James has not shied away from discussing his age and the end of his playing career is near. He first teased retirement after the Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

"We'll see what happens going forward," James said at the end of the series. "I don't know. I don't know. I've got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I've got a lot to think about."

The subject was recently brought up by James when he said he's "not going to play that much longer. after a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 13.

"I said the other night, I'm not playing until the wheels fall off. I'm not going to be that guy. I'm not going to be the guy who is disrespecting the game because I just wanted to be out on the floor. That won't be me," James added.

Amid all of the talk, James has never given any indication of when exactly the end will be. He's certainly not at the point where he is "disrespecting the game" with his play, even as he is a few weeks away from his 40th birthday on Dec. 30.

James put up 39 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in 43 minutes against the Hawks. It was his seventh triple-double of the season, matching his total from the previous two seasons combined. He's averaging 23.0 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game in 23 starts.

Despite the brilliant performance from James, the Lakers lost their third straight game. They have dropped seven of their last nine games after starting 10-4. They have fallen to 10th in the Western Conference standings with a 12-11 overall record.

James signed a two-year, $101.4 million contract with the Lakers during the offseason. The second year of the deal is a player option worth $52.6 million. It stands to reason he will play out this contract before making any decisions about his future.